it approximately right

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it approximately right" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "it is approximately right"? You can use this phrase when you want to indicate that something is close to being correct but not exact. Example: "The estimate for the project timeline is not perfect, but it is approximately right based on our previous experiences."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

So we can say if we get it approximately right, that's good enough".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It's approximately right anyway.

Yale University

But I think, he had it at least approximately right, that exchange has become a bigger and bigger part of our lives, and that's modern civilization.

Yale University

There may be few actual cases in which two subjects exactly match in their behavioral patterns regarding P, even if it gets matters approximately right to attribute to each of them the belief that P. Since behavioral dispositions are interlaced in a complex way, divergence in any of a variety of attitudes related to P may be sufficient to ensure divergence in the patterns relevant to P itself.

SEP

Nevertheless, it's better to be approximately right than precisely wrong.

Harvard Business Review

As Michael O'Leary, another of Mike's former epidemiology students, paraphrased him: "It's better to be approximately right today than exactly right tomorrow".

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Do you recall if this number is approximately right?

Yale University

The objective is to be approximately right, say within 5%to10%0% of the actual number, rather than precise.

Harvard Business Review

What readers can hope for, whether in an individual poll, a consensus from several polls or from the polling profession generally, is the truth — approximately right.

The New York Times

About half of the 150 paintings selected for the debut had been hung-or mounted on steel rods that jutted out from the walls at approximately right angles.

The New Yorker

The redox process can be formulated, for example, as Fe2O3 its)+2H++2H2SO4+2e−=2FeSO4s+3H2O(1) and the potential derived from the free energy change is approximately right.

Electrochimica Acta

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, restructure the phrase to "it is approximately right" or use alternatives like "it's roughly correct" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid omitting the verb "to be" (is, are, was, were) before "approximately right". Saying "it approximately right" is grammatically incorrect. Always use "it is approximately right" or a similar construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it approximately right" attempts to express an estimation or near correctness. However, it lacks a necessary verb, making it grammatically incomplete. As Ludwig AI points out, the construction requires the inclusion of the verb "to be" to be considered correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

15%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "it approximately right" aims to convey that something is close to being correct, it's grammatically incorrect due to the omission of the verb "to be". As Ludwig AI also suggests, the correct form is "it is approximately right". Although the phrase does appear across various sources, ensuring grammatical accuracy by including the verb "to be" or opting for alternatives like "it is roughly correct" will enhance clarity and formality in writing. Remember to prioritize grammatical correctness to avoid misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is roughly correct

Introduces a helping verb "is" to form a grammatically correct sentence, using "roughly" as a synonym for "approximately".

it is nearly accurate

Replaces "approximately right" with "nearly accurate", maintaining a similar level of precision but with different vocabulary and a helping verb "is".

it's almost correct

Uses the contraction "it's" for "it is" and replaces "approximately right" with "almost correct", offering a more informal tone.

it is fairly precise

Substitutes "approximately right" with "fairly precise", suggesting a reasonable degree of accuracy while using a more formal word choice and a helping verb "is".

it's in the right ballpark

Replaces the original phrase with an idiomatic expression, implying the statement is generally correct but not perfectly accurate.

it's reasonably accurate

Employs "reasonably accurate" in place of "approximately right", indicating an acceptable level of correctness while using a contraction "it's".

it is close to accurate

Replaces "approximately right" with "close to accurate", while focusing on proximity to accuracy and adding a helping verb "is".

it is about right

Uses "about right" as a substitute, indicating a general correctness, using simpler language and a helping verb "is".

it's pretty much correct

Replaces the original with "pretty much correct", implying a high degree of correctness while acknowledging it may not be exact and using a contraction "it's".

it's on the right track

Uses an idiomatic expression indicating that the statement is generally correct.

FAQs

How can I properly use the idea of "it approximately right" in a sentence?

To use this concept correctly, phrase it as "it is approximately right" or use alternatives like "it is roughly correct" or "it is nearly accurate".

What does "it approximately right" mean?

The phrase suggests something is close to being correct but not perfectly accurate. It's better to use a grammatically correct version such as "it is approximately right".

Is it grammatically correct to say "it approximately right"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form includes the verb "to be": "it is approximately right". Alternatively, use a phrase like "it's almost correct".

What's a more formal way of saying "it approximately right"?

A more formal alternative is "it is fairly precise". Remember to include the verb "is" for grammatical accuracy.